RUMORS (Harry Styles//a.u.)

Four

*~*dedicated to @imaginetodreamagain for helping promote Rumors! And for being such a fabulous person<333 *~*

"This is bullshit. Our discussion is over." Harry stands up from his chair and makes his way over to Louis and I. "You'll get the money tomorrow and that's that."

"Harry. My offer still stands you know. Come join us and you wouldn't have to pay another dime in your life." George tells him calmly and blows out the smoke he inhaled from his cigar.

Harry grabs my arm and doesn't hesitate to escort me out the door. "Over my dead body." He sneers. I quickly wave goodbye to Niall and Louis before Harry slams the door behind us. He stomps on over to his motorcycle, the gravel crunching below his boots.

"Harry do you wanna talk about this maybe!?" I call after him, trying to catch up to his fast steps. He is standing by his bike, eyes closed, trying to calm his breathing down. I keep quiet in front of him seeing that he was a short fuse right now.

He opens his eyes again and appears more calm. "I should've never brought you here." He grabs the helmet off his bike and tosses it over to me. "Are you alright? Did anyone bother you?" He asks inspecting me.

"Harry I'm fine" I try to laugh things off. "I just have a lot of questions..." I wasn't sure how much Harry was willing to talk about all this, so I just dropped a hint to test the waters. Before, we were always open with each other, no secrets at all. But I was still getting used to the "new" Harry and I had no idea how to approach him anymore.

Harry looks around and sighs. He checks the watch on his wrist then mounts his bike. "C'mon. Let's get out of here first."

---

Harry drove us to the coffee shop by our houses and said it'll be safe to talk here. He ordered coffee for the both of us and a chocolate cupcake to share. I took a seat at one of the booths in the corner while watching the barista at the counter flirt with Harry.

I chuckle to myself as she hands him a piece of paper. My best friend always had luck with the ladies, and it's nice to know he hasn't lost his touch. Harry walks to me and sets the cupcake on the table while settling in the seat across from me.

"Don't even say it." He catches my smirk and tucks the piece of paper away into his wallet with a smile spreading across his face

A coy smile reaches my lips and I put a piece of cake into my mouth, "I didn't see anything." I sing, trying to tease him. Harry rolls his eyes and the same barista brings our drinks to the table, lingering a little longer than she should have.

She walks away, hips swinging and all, but Harry doesn't even turn for a double take. "So. What are your questions?" He asks me instead. "I reckon Lou gave you a little debriefing?"

"Not really.." I say, stirring my coffee, "...just about your dad."

"Oh.." Harry looks down at his drink too and silence fills the air momentarily.

"He left a few months after you did. " Harry starts, keeping his eyes focused on his coffee cup. "Turns out he was battling the drug addiction since Gem and I were kids, but he took off when the debt became too much.." I can see the pain behind it all and it hurts to see him hurt.

"He couldn't even face up to his mistakes. Took off and left his own family to deal with it." Harry is now tearing up pieces of a napkin and his tone is shaky.

I reach across the table and take both his hands in mine. "Why didn't you call? You know I would've been there"

"I wanted to. I wanted to so badly Madelyn. But I didn't want to bring you into this. My own mum doesn't even know about it all, and I sure as hell wasn't going to get you involved. And I'm still not going to get you involved. He's not going to touch you alright Maddy?" I almost cringe at the childhood nickname. No one has called me that in years.

"What about Gem?" I ask.

He forces a laugh to lighten the mood. "She thinks I'm in a gang, and that George is the leader, but that's it. She doesn't know this has anything to do with our dad but I think she knows there's something deeper going on. I'm just glad she's not meddling into it." Harry's eyes meet mine and I smile widely to show him everything will be okay. His expression doesn't change and he looks down to check his phone.

"Shit." He mutters and grabs his keys off the table. "We gotta go." He stands up and pulls me out of the booth and quickly helps me put my jacket on.

"What's wrong Harry?" I ask hurriedly out the door.

Harry secures the helmet onto me and pats the seat behind him on his bike. "Its three minutes past your curfew."

I laugh and roll my eyes at his genuine worry, "Harry I think that's the least of our problems right now."

----

The next day at school, Harry wasn't in first period. I figured he was dropping off the money to George, but that wasn't what the whole school was saying.

"Harry Styles isn't here today." I hear a few girls whisper after class. "I heard he got into a bar fight last night then got arrested for underage drinking."

"Yeah I heard that too! Styles practically killed the dude he fought. I would've payed to see it." Some jock joined the gossiping girl. I roll my eyes and look to Lacey who was overhearing the same conversation.

She simply shrugs before stopping in front of her locker. "Every time Harry is absent, he comes back the next day with bruises. No one knows where they come from and no one wants to ask because he's always in a sour mood." She informs me. Little did they know.

At lunch, there was still no sign of Harry all day. Niall was sitting across from me, unharmed, but quiet. Which was not like Niall at all.

"Hey are you okay?" I whisper to him. I didn't know what happened after we left, but I'm happy to see Niall wasn't hurt.

"Yeah I'm alright. Lou took me home a few minutes after you guys left. Is Harry alright?"

I shrug in response, earning a shrug back from Niall. No one knew where Harry was but us.

After school, I say goodbye to all my friends and put my books away. Still no sign of Harry all day. I texted him numerous times and all I could really do now is hope he's not dead.

(A/N: AHHH sorry for taking forever to update guys <3

I promise I won't do this to you again! So vote vote vote and don't forget to share! :) the more reads the faster the updates! .xx)